Inspired by Tim Burton and Stephen King, Lancashire make up artist makes thousands from creepy looks

Meet the horror-movie obsessive who now makes thousands of pounds a month with her creepy make-up looks.

Natasha Jane Wood, 28, used to "sneak downstairs" and watch her favourite gory blockbusters when she was a young girl.

Inspired by Hollywood icons Tim Burton and Stephen King, she studied special effects makeup at Bolton University in 2019.

Honing her skills from her childhood bedroom during the pandemic, Natasha sky-rocketed to online fame after she uploaded her sinister looks to TikTok.

She has since amassed over six million followers on social media and has made her passion a full-time career.

Natasha, a content creator, from Darwen, said: "I absolutely loved horror films as a kid.

"It probably sounds crazy but I used to fall asleep watching '28 Days Later' which is a zombie movie.

"I just found it so soothing,

"During the pandemic hit, it all just kicked off during August 2020 when I did my 'Disney Princesses Gone Wrong' series on TikTok.

"A video I did transforming myself into Jim Carrey's 'The Mask' has over 100 million views on YouTube.

"My little brother and sister thought it was a bit cringe at first, but now I have the same amount of YouTube subscribers as some of their favourite creators."

Natasha was studying for her degree in special effects when the Coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020.

"I was working at Warren James which is a high street jeweller at the time, and I was furloughed so couldn't really work," she explained.

"I did the Disney Princess series of looks - including Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle and Jane from Tarzan.

"I did over 15, so quite a few.

"They were inspired by the Grimm Brothers, who did the original versions of the stories.

"With Beauty and the Beast for example, I did one where she actually got scratched by the beast, so it turned into quite a gory look.

"With Disney, it's all happily ever after, but you don't really see what would happen if it went wrong.

"During that time, I was able to get away with more special effects like fake cuts and stuff, but now TikTok have gotten more tight with their restrictions.

"I even turned myself into the Mona Lisa for one video."

In January 2022, Natasha, who still lives at home, launched her YouTube channel, where she "repurposed" her TikTok videos.

She said: "Now, it's my biggest platform, with three million subscribers.

"I just thought, I really think I can make this work, and double down and make this into a job.

"A manager reached out to me in April 2021 and from there I even had advertisements coming in from makeup companies like Tatti Lashes and Natasha Denona.

"Around the same time, I handed in my notice at my normal job too."

Despite the support Natasha, who is single, receives from fans online, she does get "trolls and bad comments".

"It's not to everyone's taste," she said.

"The amount of times I've been called cringe is unreal.

"But it's nice to have a community of people, and especially since I talk about mental health and portray it with my looks.

"I did a series called 'Makeup Inspired By Emotions' and did one themed on anxiety.

"I was diagnosed with autism in March 2022 after a lengthy process.

"When the diagnosis does come through, it is like a lightbulb moment.

"There's a lot of great people that have autism, we just see the world in a different light.

"Since those videos I've had people reach out and say, 'this is exactly how I feel', and can relate to it.

"It does bring it back down to reality and shows we're all going through the same things.

"Because my own mental health is up and down it makes me feel like I have a purpose."

Natasha went from working on just a single "tiny" table and a ring light, to a full studio with multiple backdrops at her family home.

Due to her successes - making thousands of pounds per month - Natasha has been saving up to one day buy her dream home.

She said: "One day when I have my dream house I'll have a separate studio attached.

"The best thing I've bought myself is a car, an Audi A1.

"It's my pride and joy, and it's more accessible for me now so I can out and about.

"I feel very privileged with the money I have to give back to charities too.

"There was a charity in Manchester for cats, and I send them supplies.

"I've even been able to buy my grandparents a holiday to Cornwall in June 2023.

"They definitely deserve it.

"It's always nice to give back."

Natasha advises others keen to go into SFX to not "hold yourself back".

"Everyone's got to start somewhere, and it's better to start than not start at all," she said.

"We've got one life, so go for it.

"It's better to try and not live with what ifs."